Two-position receiver-relays



Jan. 17, 1939. B. E. LENEHAN ET! AL TWO-POS ITION RECEIVER RELAYS Filed Dec. '9, 1956 INVENTORS @ers.

ATTORNEY Bernardfilerjefian /0 6 WITNESSES: o m /7am:

Patented Jan. 17, 1939 PATENT OFFICE TWO-POSITION RECEIVER-RELAYS Bernard E. Lenehan, Bloomfield, and Aldred W.

Rogers, Union, N. J., assignors to Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing East Pittsburgh, Pa.,

sylvania Company, a corporation of Penn- Application December 9, 1936, Serial No. 114,964

19 Claims.

Our invention relates to electromagnetic devices and it has particular relation to a sensitive polarized relay which is especially designed and adapted for use as a two-position receiver-relay for use in a carrier-current protective system for transmission lines.

The principal object of our invention is to improve the construction of such relays in order that the same may be extremely sensitive to very small electrical inputs, While at the same time being positive and accurate in its operation.

An object of our invention is to provide a polarized relay in which the center of gravity of the movable armature may be placed as close to the hinged connection of the armature as possible.

A further object of our invention is to pro vide an improved construction of hinged connection between the movable armature and the stationary core member of a polarized relay.

A further object of our invention is to provide simplified and improved adjustment-means whereby a polarized relay is particularly adapted for use as the receiver-relay of a pilot protective system.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, our invention consists in the parts, structures, combinations, systems and methods hereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a plan view of a preferred form of embodiment of our electromagnetic device,

7 Fig. 2 is a side View thereof,

Fig. 3 is an elevational view thereof, with the coil shownin section, and

Fig. 4 is a detailed view of the stationary core member and the hinged armature which is carried thereby.

In common with other polarized relays, our electromagnetic device utilizes a source of mag netomotive force for normally continuously applying a unidirectional polarizing magnetomotive force to the device, and this force-means is commonly in the form of a permanent magnet l of horseshoe shape, although other means may be utilized for this purpose. In the preferred form of construction of our device, as shown in the drawing, the permanent magnet I is disposed flat against the under side of an insulating top plate 2, against. which it is held by means of a non-magnetic plate 3 which is bolted to the top plate 2 by means of three bolts 4. The ends of the poles of the permanent magnet l abut against a pair of opposed, spaced, stationary magnetizablepole-pieces 5 and 6 which are held against the under side of the top plate 2 by means of bolts 1.

The pole pieces 5 and 6 are mounted on the top of an E-shaped stationary pole frame structure comprising a bottom magnetizable bar 8, to the middle of which is secured an upright magnetizable core member 9, secured by means of a nut iii. The E-shaped frame also comprises two vertical magnetizable end-posts II and I2. The end posts H and I2 are separated from the ends of the bottom bar 8 by means of non-magnetic shims or spacers l3, and are firmly secured to the bar 8 by means of bolts M (Fig. 2). The pole pieces 5 and 6 are secured to the tops of the posts I I and I2, respectively, by means of bolts l5.

The free or upper end of the magnetizable core member 9 carries a movable magnetizable armature member l6 which is mounted so as to extend vertically between the two spaced pole pieces 5 and 6. and 4, our armature member consists of a centrally disposed vertical non-magnetic leaf-spring I! which is flanked on both sides by substantially non-flexing magnetizable members [8 and I9, respectively, the three parts l1, l8 and I9 being secured together in a unitary structure. The central leaf-spring member I 1 extends beyond the magnetizable members l8 and H1 at both the top and at the bottom. The bottom extension of the leaf-spring I1 is clamped to the top of the core member 9 by means of a novel construction of core member whereby the top end is bifurcated or split into two parts 2| and 22, both of which are of magnetizable material. Preferably, the part 2| is integral with the rest of the core member 9, while the part 22 is a separate part which is clamped to the part 21 by means of bolts 23 engaging a nut-plate 24.

The armature I6 is secured to the core member 9 by having the downwardly extending end of the centrally disposed leaf-spring member I! clamped between the bifurcated ends 2| and 22- of the core member. These bifurcated ends 2| and 22 are provided with notches 25 at their upper ends so that the clamping pressure stops short of the top end of the core member, thereby providing a certain free length of flexible spring I! which operates as a hinge member for hinging the armature member to the core member.

The flanking magnetizable members 18 and 19 of the armature are thicker than the notches 25 and are spaced from the top end of the core member 9 by a very small air gap, which is conveniently provided by setting the armature in place with feeler gauges (not shown) of some 5 As shown more particularly in Figs. 3

or 8 mils thickness disposed between the bottom ends of the magnetizable strips: l8 and I9 and the top ends of the bifurcated parts 2| and 22 of the core member, after which the clamping bolts 23 are tightened and the feeler gauges are removed. The depth of the notches 25 is also small as compared with the thickness of the flanking magnetizable members I 8 and I9, and this depth (measured away from the spring l1) may also be of the order of 5 or 8 mils. As a result of this construction, the magnetic flux is transferred between the bottom ends of the magnetic strips l8 and I9 and the top endsof the bi furcated parts 2! and 22 of the magnetizable core member 9, substantially no flux being carried by the leaf -spring I! because of its non-magnetic material. We have found that it is quite important to provide a hinge-construction in'which there is ample provision for a substantially equal division .of the magnetic flux between the strips I 8 and IQ of the armature, so as to avoid the binding action which would be imposed on the hinge-joint in case there were a strong preponderance of the magnetic flux on one side or the other of the flexible member I1.

The magnetizablecore member 9 is surrounded by one or more electric coils 2'! which carry the small currents to which the electromagnetic device is sensitively responsive. The coil or coils 21 are preferably mounted on an insulating coilsupporting tube 28 (Fig. 3), and the coil or coils 2'l'are preferably held in place against the base :pla-teor bar 8 by means of two springs 29 and 30 which are held in place by the clamping bolts 23 of the upper bifurcated end of the core member 9.

Our electromagnetic device is called a twopositionreceiver-relay, and it is called that because'it is intended that the relay shall have two positions, one of which it occupies in its normal d'eenergized condition, and the other of which it assumes when a small current of the proper polarity'traverses the coil 21'. In order to hold the relay or electromagnetic device in its normal ideenergized position, we prefer to utilize two forces, namely a spring-stress whereby the leaf- :spring I-Ttends to hold the relay in its normal position, and-an unbalanced pull of the north and south-poles of the'permanent magnet l, pulling on oppositesides. of the armature l6.

To achieve these ends, we have provided a novelconstruction of our pole pieces 5 and 6, each of which is provided with a threaded hole '3! extending therethrough in a direction which is substantially tangential to the movement of the armature 16. An adjustable magnetizable pole-face screw 32 is operatively engaged in each of the pole-piece holes 3| in the front end thereof adjacent to the armature It, so as to make it possible to move the effective face of the pole toward and away from the armature S6 for the purpose of adjusting the air-gap between poleface and the armature. A set-screw 33 is also provided, whereby the pole-face screw may be locked in position after it has been adjusted.

Each of, the pole-face screws 32 is provided with a central perforation 34, the purpose of which willbe subsequently described.

An adjustable stop-screw 35 is also operatively engaged in each of the pole-piece holes3l, the same being disposed in the rear end of said hole,

"backfrom the armature l6, and spaced from the pole-face screw 32. A non-magnetizable stop-pin36 extends through the afore-mentioned central perforation 34 in eachpole-face screw 32, and is engaged by the stop-screw 35, being preferably integrally united to the stop-screw 35.

As shown in the drawing, the left-hand stop screw 35 is adjusted so that the non-magnetizable pin 36 presses against the armature l6 in the deenergized position of the relay, so that the spring I? is placed under slight tension or bending movementfln this position of the relay, thereby tending to hold the armature 15 back against the left-hand stop-pin 36, the displacement of the spring ll being exaggerated for clearness of illustration in the drawing.

In addition to this adjustment, the two poleface screws .32 are so adjusted that the left-hand pol'e-faceis slightly closer to the armature l6 than'the right-hand pole-face, in the normal deenergized position of the relay, as shown exaggeratedlyin the drawing, thus causing the left-' hand pole to attract the armature more strongly than the right-hand pole, thus additionally biasing therelay to itsnormaldeenergized position.

The non-magnetic stop-members '36 are designed .to prevent the armature member from ever coming into contact with either of 'the'magnetizable-pole-f-ace screws 32, so as to prevent the armature from being permanentlysealed in position against either of the pole-faces.

It will be noted-that we have provided what might be termed a magnetic bridge construction, with two magnetic 'circuits'provided between the. poles of the permanent 'magnet l, and with the magnetomotive force of the electrical coil 2? connected substantially between the mid points of the'two magnetic circuits; sothat the magnetomotive "force of the permanent magnet l is connected across one diagonalof the bridge, and the magnetomotive force of the coil '2'! is connected across the other diagonal.

Of the two magnetic circuits which are connected between the-poles of the permanent magnet i, one magnetic circuit is provided by the two pole-pieces -5 and 6, the two pole-face screws 32 which are, inzeffect, magnetic extensions of the pole-pieces, and the two air-gaps between a:

the faces of these'pole-face screws 32 andthe armature-member Hi. The upper end of the armature member 116 is thus connected atza magneticpotential which is somewhere near theimidpoint between the magnetic potentials :of the e two poles of the permanent'imagnet I andthe two airgaps, one on either side of the armature l6, operate as high-reluctance portions of the magnetic circuit, these portions being very nearly equal to each other, the equality being only slightly displaced by the "displacement which is utilized for obtaining the magnetic bias as-pre viously described.

The other magnetic circuit, which is connected in parallel with the magnetic circuit just described, is composed of the two vertical magnetizable posts II and I2, themagnetizable base plate or'bar 8, and thetwo non-magnetic spacers 13. It will-readily'be seen that the principal -reluctance of this-'magnetic'circuit occurs'in the two non-magnetic spacers 'l3, which operate like air-gaps, or high-reluctance portions of the magnetic'circuit. The mid-point of the-base plate armature in its non-energized position need not be utilized in every case, and in any event it will not be more than a. very small portion of the total magnetic force of the permanent magnet; so that normally there will be little, if any, of the permanent-magnet flux flowing vertically in the core-member 9 and in the armature I6.

It will be noted, on the other hand, that all of the magnetomotive force which is produced by the electric coil 21 is applied directly to the vertical magnetic cross-circuit composed of the magnetizable core 9 and the armature I6, so that, if the direction of the current in the coil 21 is such as to oppose the normal biasing action, a relatively slight magnetomotive force in the electric coil 21 will suifice to unbalance the magnetic bridge and to cause the armature I5 to move over against the right-hand stop 36 with a force which is approximately proportional to the product of the magnetomotive force or ampere-turnsof the coil 21 and the field-strength of the permanent magnet I. Thus, it is possible to make the field strength of the permanent magnet I very large as compared to the magnetomotive force of the coil 21.

Our armature-member I6 preferably carries one or more circuit-controlling or contact-makeand-break devices for the purpose of controlling one or more electrical circuits in accordance with the position of the electromagnetic device. In the particular form of embodiment shown in the drawing, there are three of these contactmake-and-break devices. The movable element I6 is provided with an insulating cross-piece 4| which is secured thereto at a point close to the hinged connection to the core member 9, so that the center of gravity of the armature may be as close to this hinge-connection as possible, thereby reducing the efiective inertia of the movable armature and also tending to avoid bouncing or chattering of the circuit-contacts.

Two of the movable contact-members 42 and 43 of the three circuit-controlling contact devices are carried by the insulating cross piece 4|. 'I'he'third movable contact-member is provided by means of the upwardly extending end of the leaf-spring ll of the armature-member I6. The two insulated movable contact-members 42 and 43 extend vertically from the insulating crosspiece 4| so as to be substantially parallel to the leaf-spring I'I. Preferably, the movable contact members 42 and 43 are made of leaf-spring material, and the lower portions of them are stiffened by means of stiffening ribs or rolled edges 44, so as to limit the flexibility to the upper portions of the contact-members, whereby a better wiping contact may be obtained, and whereby it is possible to utilize a lighter-weight springmaterial, thus reducing the inertia of the movable contact-members of our device.

The three circuit-controlling or make-andbreak devices may be either normally open contacts or normally closed contacts. As shown, the two outside make-and-break devices are normally open contacts, While the center one is a normally closed contact which is closed when the switch is deenergized. The three movable contact-fingers may be provided with contact making buttons or tips 45 as shown in the drawing.

The three movable contact-fingers cooperate with three stationary contact-terminals 46, 41 and 48, respectively, each terminal having a contact-tipped adjusting screw 49 which may be moved toward or away from its cooperating movable contact-finger for the purpose of adjusting the contacts in a, manner which will be obvious.

It will be noted that the central contact-finger I1 is grounded on the frame of the electromagnetic device, whereas the other two movable contact-fingers 42 and 43 are insulated by the insulating cross-piece 4 I. These insulated movable contact-members 42 and 43 are preferably connected to binding posts 52 and 53 which are carried by the insulating top-plate 2, of the device, the connection being obtained by means of flexible pigtails 54 and 55.

The movable parts of our mechanism are made as light in weight as is possible, in order to increase the sensitivity and the speed of operation of the relay device, and to this end, the movable contact-fingers 42, I and 43 are made barely thick enough to avoid welding to the stationary contact-tips for lack of sufiicient thermal or heatstoring capacity of the movable contact-fingers.

It should be noted that the non-magnetic shims or spacers I3 which are disposed at the bottom of our field-frame construction serve an even more important purpose than the provision of a high-' reluctance parallel magnetic flux path, because these non-magnetic shims tend to keep the variable or alternating flux of the coil 2'! out of the permanent magnet I, thereby protecting the permanent magnet from flux-changes or a shifting of the neutral point which might upset the setting of the relay and eventually weaken the magnet.

As a result of our improved construction of a two-position receiver-relay, it has been possible for us to provide a polarized relay which will operate quickly and reliably in response to anywhere from about 0.5 milliampere up, depending upon the number of turns in the coil, thereby providing a relay which is eminently suitable for carrier-current protective systems, as well as other systems in which a quick and reliable operation is needed in response to extremely minute currents or current-changes.

While we have disclosed our invention in a single preferred form of embodiment which is designed to. be illustrative of the principles of the invention, we desire it to be understood that many changes may be made in the details with respect to the furnishing of the permanentmagnet or polarizing flux, the furnishing of the electric-coil magnetomotive force, the number of contacts on the movable armature, and other constructional details or the device. We desire it to be understood that the foregoing and other changes and adaptations may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the essential spirit and principles of our invention. We desire, therefore, that the appended claims shall be given the broadest construction consistent with their language and the prior art.

We claim as our invention:

1. An electromagnetic device comprising a pair of opposed, spaced stationary magnetizable polepieces, a movable magnetizable armature disposed between said pole-pieces, a stationary magnetizable core member, means for supporting said movable armature from said core member in such manner that said armature operates substantially like a hinged extension of said core member so that the armature may move toward and away from one or the other of said pole-pieces, a source of magnetomotive force for normally continuously applying a unidirectional polarizing magnetomotive force to said pole-pieces, electriccoil means surrounding said core member, and i5 ma n ticr w means e e ete w th beth el ,eid elerpie e a e normal app a in termediate rnagnetic potent l to the rear end it tothe end which tri .v i R ZiP ti is i. V a means -.i9 i h y d mpin e end of the l spring mernher inthe ioifur cated endof the core memhe 3. The invention as deijnedin clairn l, including th amietei eesaein d Ie th me me e ee zgse finie w ee i bert Q w i h are q ima i able mate ia m a .f d i .ie tn r e ehnef h in e notch a 1. 5 so h th e aniei e pressure um .9 I e armatnreengaging end of the core rnem el mevabl arma ur c mp a l spring me nperfianked onboth sides by substa n 7 springn ember flanlged on both sides by substantially non-flexing magnetizable .rnembers, the l a -spr n m mbe xt nd n beyond hemae netizab le flanking members at the core-engaging end pf the I, armature, saidextending end of the lee ep n member bein clamped tw n the two partsof the split endof the core memher, said leaf springmen berbeing of small fluxcarrying capacity, and saidfianking magnetizable niernbers being thicker. than said notchesand being spaced bya sn all air-gap; from the unnotched m nner t S l -end o s i e e me 5. invention as defined in claim 1, includ ng e i e eb a inew av n e ineu eti cross pie'ce securedthereto at a point close to the hinged connection to the core member, a lightweight contact-spring carried by said crosspiece and extending lor'ig-itudin'aily with i respect to'said armature, and a stationary contact-device cooperating ,vvith said contact springl .6. The inventionl as defined in claim 1,.including at least one of said pole-pieces havinga threaded hole extending sub'sta'ntially tangentially to theimovernent o'f'the armature, an adjustable magnetizalole pole-face screw opera'tivelyengaged in said polepiece hole in the front end thereof adjacentjto the armature, gam a. face screw. having a central ,perforationQ'an acljustalole stop screw operatively engaged in vsaid pole-piece hole in the rear end thereof, back from the I armature, anda non magnetizable stop-pin extending through said central perforation and engaged by said stop-screw.

7. The invention as defined in claim l,vincluding thehinged supportingmeansfor thea'n'iae turelbeing a leaf sprin'g mem er; secured to both h rm' wt and l me e ee ii e' able, back-stop means for said arrnature whereby sai eafrin membe ti (b ,b ed n m an o a u t n th esit en e the ,,f e .=e e pib th. p ith pel nieeee n aline. i ilbr stantially tangential to the movement of the g m i r v .7 V .i i.

8,A1i electromagnetic device comprising ,a pair of opposed, spaced stationary magnetizabl'e pole-pieces, a n oyable Inagnetizable armature disposed between said pole-pieceslja stationary magnetizable coremember; means for vsu pp orti ng said movable armature from said core Ineniber in such manner that said armature operates substantially like a hinged extension of saidicore embe s tha h armat ma m r wer and away from one or the other of said pole- .Pi a t Ql -Pie e d the inte veni 1 O.:The invention as defined in claim 8, including the armature-engaging end of the pore nieriiloer spiit intoi't parts of 'which are of niagnetliizablen iaterlaljrneans for clamp sampling together} each a, notch a i end tha th clean n new" sas short of the armature engaginglendof re se}; -lthe' movahle armature coin r1 leaf-Spring nlee fl n ed o v oth si b eie tie lree -fle i e me e i zebl ee ebe t e smin m mhe ext nii i be en ih in er netizabl e vflanking members at the core-engaging as one ar at re ane eeae teeeie t leere in mem er n leme iwe ni he parts 9 ih e iit n Q lthe e nem -1 T i inven d e fi e i e ifi nr l n th .ermeee eeee le tend ef h e' 'r nernbe being split intotvvo parts looth ofiwhi'ch ar (i ime l ei b 'i e iei l ma i li l imr nseam e t i e her ea h P r vh i eee h at ts end so that the clamping .pressu ge stops s rt e the e ieet ereeeee i i l we e the movable armature comprising a leafwin mem e li a ili d' b ih, 'i b stan .eli i'e leein .in i ii ememb s Ieaf Spring mernloer extending vloe yonol he mag ie ze e efleek e me eeeree fth e iee 'ein end of the armature, said extending end ofthe eafeerin mbe b i lemne ebeiw en t means on s ieen e wer m mbe s i ea z pri e membe -be n e sm l 1 .18- amtr n v,eanaii iin.an eei fla n m bl members be n ,th ek han ie idflligie e l i b i spaced b a m h a irQm i emin tc ed iport q ho he pli h n 9 se de r membe 7 V 12. ,Theinyention as defined in sclai m fl, inludin s i e ab -ermaw i i ha n a i t ing 1. 10.551; eee se me her eete P in Q QS o t in e eenneet ii t eqr membe i a li htwe htsome ee rie s ierried bysei e essr piece an ieiitend ns ipn iilidin ll lh lifipfiii to said armature, and a stationary contactdevice cooperating with said contact-spring.

13. The invention as defined in claim 8, including at least one of said pole-pieces having a threaded hole extending substantially tangentially to the movement of the armature, an adjustable magnetizable pole-face screw operative- 1y engaged in said pole-piece hole in the front end thereof. adjacent to the armature, said pole-face screw having a central perforation, an adjustable stop-screw operatively engaged in said pole-piece hole in the rear end thereof back from the armature, and a non-magnetizable stop-pin extending through said central perforation and engaged by said stop-screw.

14. The invention as defined in claim 8, including the hinged supporting means for the armature being a leaf-spring member secured to both the armature and the core member, an adjustable back-stop means for said armature whereby said leaf-spring member may be biased, and means for adjusting the positions of the faces of both of the pole-pieces in a line which is substantially tangential to the movement of the armature.

15. An electromagnetic device comprising a stationary electric-coil means, a stationary magnetizable field-frame means operatively associated with said electric-coil means, said fieldframe means comprising a magnetizable core member, a movable magnetizable armature, the core member having a bifurcated end, a leafspring member carried by the armature, and means for tightly clamping the end of. the leafspring member in the bifurcated end or" the core member.

16. An electromagnetic device comprising a stationary electric-coil means, a stationary magnetizable field-frame means operatively associated with said electric-coil means, said field frame means comprising a magnetizable core member, a movable magnetizable armature, and means for supporting said movable armature from said core member in such manner that said armature operates substantially like a hinged extension of said core member, the armatureengaging end of the core member being split into two parts both of which are of magnetizable material, means for clamping said parts together, each part having a notch at its end so that the clamping pressure stops short of the armatureengaging end of. the core member, said movable armature comprising a leaf-spring member flanked on both sides by substantially non-flexing magnetizable members, the leaf-spring member extending beyond the magnetizable flanking members at the core-engaging end of the armature, said extending end of the leaf-spring member being clamped between the two parts of. the split end of the core member.

1'7. An electromagnetic device comprising a stationary electric-coil means, a stationary magnetizable field-frame means operatively associated with said electric-coil means, said fieldframe means comprising a magnetizable core member, a movable magnetizable armature, and

means for supporting said movable armature from said core member in such manner that said armature operates substantially like a hinged extension of said core member, the armatureengaging end of the core member being split into two parts both of which are or magnetizable material, means for clamping said parts together, each part having a notch at its end so that the clamping pressure stops short of the armatum-engaging end of the core member, said movable armature comprising a leaf-spring member flanked on both sides by substantially non-flexing magnetizable members, the leaf-spring member extending beyond the magnetizable flanking members at the core-engaging end of the armature, said extending end of the leaf-spring member being clamped between the two parts of the split end of the core member, said leaf-spring member being of small flux-carrying capacity. and said flanking magnetizable members being thicker than said notches and being spaced by a small air-gap from the unnotched portion of the split end of said core member.

18. An electromagnetic device comprising a stationary electric-coil means, a stationary magnetizable field-frame means operatively associated with said electric-coil means, said fieldframe means comprising a magnetizable core member, a movable magnetizable armature, and means for supporting said movable armature from said core member in such manner that said armature operates substantially like a hinged extension of said core member, said movable armature having an insulating cross-piece secured thereto at a point close to the hinged connection to the core member, a light-weight contactspring carried by said cross-piece and extending longitudinally with respect to said armature, and a stationary contact-device cooperating with said contact-spring.

19. An electromagnetic device comprising a stationary electric-coil means, a stationary mag netizable field-frame means operatively associated with said electric-coil means, said fieldframe means comprising a magnetizable core member and a pole-piece, a movable magnetizable armature disposed in operative relation to said pole-piece, and means for supporting said movable armature from said core member in such manner that said armature operates substantially like a hinged extension of said core member, said pole-piece having a threaded hole extending substantially tangentially to the movement of the armature, an adjustable magnetizable pole-face screw operatively engaged in said pole-piece hole in the front end thereof adjacent to the armature, said pole-face screw having a central perforation, an adjustable stop-screw operatively engaged in said pole-piece hole in the rear end thereof back from the armature, and a non-magnetizable stop-pin extending through said central perforation and engaged by said stop-screw.

BERNARD E. LENEI-IAN. ALDRED W. ROGERS. 

